Introduction

The candle flickered on the bedside table as Mandodari waited for her two daughters, Amala and Amita, to fall asleep. Mandodari smiled as she remembered what it felt like to be young. She missed the innocence and carelessness of youth. She could barely recall a time when her biggest fear was what dress she was going to wear or what boy she liked. Life had been hard on Mandadori. From losing a child to being married to man who was madly in love with another woman, her life didn't turn out the way she had expected it to. Now she had a second chance. Since the passing of her first husband Ravana, she had remarried and was blessed with three beautiful children: a son and two daughters. She knew she had a lot to be grateful for and her past struggles made her the strong woman she was today. Yet she hoped her daughters would never face the hardships that she endured. They were growing up and she knew soon it would be time for them to be married. She hoped they could experience love and happiness without all the pain she went through. She wanted to protect them from the harshness of the world around them.

"Mom?" her youngest daughter, Amita, asked.

"Yes, sweetheart?"

"Are you happy?" she asked quietly.

"Of course I am! What a silly question to ask!" Mandodari was surprised by her daughter's question.

"It's just that sometimes it seems like you're far away, thinking about something. I wonder if maybe there's someplace else you'd rather be." Mandodari thought about that statement and how she felt the exact opposite. She had never been happier in her life.

"No, honey, I'm very happy with the life I've been blessed with. Sometimes I think about my past and it makes me wonder. I ask Shiva why it couldn't have been easier but I know now it was all worth it. I have three children who I love more than life itself, and a loving husband who takes care of me."

"Would you tell us more about it?" Amala joined in. "What were you like when you were our age? How did you meet dad? You never tell us about your past."

"Well, it's a very complicated." She replied hoping they wouldn't push further for details. She knew she would eventually share it with them but it was difficult for her to talk about. She preferred to focus on the present rather than dwell on her past.

"Please, mom?" Amita pleaded. "We just want to know more about you. We know you were married before to dad's brother but you never tell us about him. Some of the girls in the village tell us stories about him and how evil he was. We just want to know the truth."

Mandodari sighed, knowing she'd eventually have to share her life story with them. There was so much her daughters didn't know about her. Besides, they were getting older and it was time they knew more about their mother. By hearing about her life maybe they would be prepared to be out in the world on their own. All she wanted was for them to be happy and find husbands that would show them the unconditional love they deserved. She sat down at the edge of the bed and prepared herself for the story. It was going to be a long one.